Close South Africa 173 for 4 (Rhodes 61*, Gibbs 46) beat New Zealand 175 all out (Cairns 57 ; Kallis 3-23, Donald 3-29) by six wickets (D/L method) and won the VB Series 2-0
scorecard series home

South Africa romped to a comfortable six-wicket victory in the second final of the VB Series, sealing their first one-day trophy on Australian soil. Jonty Rhodes was rock-solid and entertaining in equal measure during his 68-ball knock of 61 and he saw his side home after they suffered an almighty wobble around the 15-over mark.

Stephen Fleming and his New Zealand team were well beaten in the end and can have few complaints after an abysmal batting display - save for another magnificent braveheart effort from Chris Cairns - had undermined their chances. Batting first after winning the toss in bright sunshine, New Zealand took 26 balls to get on the scoreboard. Soon after they managed that, they lost Nathan Astle, hooking the ever-accurate Shaun Pollock high and hardly handsome into the waiting palms of Lance Klusener at deep square-leg (15 for 1).

Andre Adams then came and went in the time it took for his captain to pad up, caught behind trying to run the ball to third man (17 for 2).

Undaunted by the loss of those wickets, Lou Vincent opened out with some exhilarating strokes. He concentrated most of his attention on Makhaya Ntini and a magnificent pull to the midwicket fence was followed by an improvised inside-out drive through cover. Pollock got his hands to it but the ball burst through and went for two runs. The next ball was spanked in the same direction, but this time no fielder got anywhere near it.

In Ntini's next over, Vincent played a shot that was neither pull nor hook, but it made it into the crowd on the Hill anyway, as a bemused Ntini looked on. Pollock wasn't spared either as he tonked a slower ball deep into the stands at mid-on.

It didn't last though and three wickets fell in the space of a few minutes to effectively torpedo New Zealand's chances. First, Vincent went after a blistering 43, pulling a Jacques Kallis delivery to Ntini at midwicket (68 for 3). Fleming soon joined him in the pavilion, for 17, when he pulled an Allan Donald delivery to short fine-leg, where Boeta Dippenaar took a diving catch (68 for 4).

Craig McMillan made a blob, going the way of Vincent by holing out to Ntini at midwicket off a jubilant Kallis (75 for 5), before rain kept the players off the field, reducing the match to a 46 over-a-side affair.

Cairns and Chris Harris added 75 for the sixth wicket, with Cairns striking the ball as cleanly as ever. Klusener cut short the partnership when he had Chris Harris leg before wicket. The ball pitched in line and struck Harris on the front pad. Umpire Steve Davis had no doubts and it was on-yer-bike-son time. To make matters even worse for New Zealand, Adam Parore chipped the next delivery straight to Herschelle Gibbs at midwicket (147 for 7).

Allan Donald returned for a second spell and had Daniel Vettori plumb in front for just 3, before cleaning up James Franklin next ball in identical fashion (157 for 9). Unfazed, Cairns kept going with a superb off-drive for four off Klusener. After reaching his fifty with a speeding bullet of an off-drive off Ntini, he spanked a full toss to the midwicket fence as he and Shane Bond held out the promise of a miracle.

It was not to be though as he sent the first ball of the 42nd over, bowled by Kallis, straight to Boje at long-on. Fleming had gambled by batting first and if he were in a casino - you could safely say that he had no chips left.

South Africa's reply owed its early momentum to Gibbs, who played some gorgeous strokes on either side of the wicket. Kirsten, by contrast, scratched around miserably for his 2, and was put out of his misery by an excellent delivery from Player of the Tournament, Shane Bond. An edge through to Parore and South Africa were 50 for 1.

Andre Adams than gave Pollock heartburn by having Kallis caught behind flashing at one that darted away (65 for 2) and bowling Gibbs - who had raced to 45 - off the inside edge (68 for 3).

Rhodes came in and was off and running in a jiffy. Chris Harris dropped Dippenaar at point when he had made just 3, and that was as close as New Zealand got. Rhodes bustled between wickets and punished the loose balls, even as Dippenaar became increasingly becalmed. Cairns came back for a second spell to have him caught behind (141 for 4) but Rhodes and Boucher brought proceedings to a close with a deluge of boundaries - most of them walloped to midwicket.

After a disastrous Test series, this win will do wonders for South African confidence as they head back home for Part Two against Australia. As for New Zealand, they may have Australia's number ... but against South Africa, they can't even count.

Teams
New Zealand 1 Nathan Astle, 2 Lou Vincent, 3 Stephen Fleming (capt), 4 Craig McMillan, 5 Chris Cairns, 6 Chris Harris, 7 Adam Parore (wk), 8 Andre Adams, 9 James Franklin, 10 Daniel Vettori, 11 Shane Bond.

South Africa 1 Herschelle Gibbs, 2 Gary Kirsten, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 Boeta Dippenaar, 5 Jonty Rhodes, 6 Mark Boucher (wk), 7 Lance Klusener, 8 Shaun Pollock (capt), 9 Nicky Boje, 10 Allan Donald, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Wisden.com India.

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